Use of Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Identifying Insect Pests and Diseases of Fruit and Vegetable Crops

The main objective of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) is to help the farmers in the command area in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. During the last 3 years i.e. from 2013 to 2015, a record of all the visiting farmers was maintained in the plant health diagnostic laboratory at the KVK, in which complete details of the farmer with address and contact number was maintained. Similarly, the purpose of visiting KVK was recorded date wise by the KVK scientist and at the end of each month, a summary was prepared and analysed for severity of the attack of insect pest and diseases. It was found that farmers (3.6%) started enquiring about the management of fruit fly prior in Guava in the month of June. In the months of July and August, 55.6 and 44.4 per cent farmers, respectively visited the KVK to know about its management. Regarding brinjal crop, per cent farmers visited KVK during the month of June, July, August and September was 13.9, 37.9, 23.2 and 25.0, respectively. Continuous arrival of the farmers in the KVK campus in each month indicates that this crop is being attacked by insect pest and diseases throughout its whole growing period. Cauliflower crop was more prone to the attack of insect pest rather than diseases as the farmers enquired about the management of insect pests only and no diseased sample was diagnosed in the KVK. In cucurbits, maximum samples were brought by the farmers to the KVK campus as compared to other crops. Out of 31 farmers who visited KVK campus, per cent value for the months of February, March, April, May and June was 25, 12.5, 35, 24.2 and 3.3, respectively. It was also revealed that the crop was prone both to the attack of insect pests and diseases. As Krishi Vigyan Kendra imparts short duration trainings to farmers from time to time, it can be concluded that KVK staff should provide trainings relating to the above mentioned technological problems in a particular month.